60- Mirror, Mirror, on the Stage...

Standard Disclaimer goes here.

A/N: Well, the Poker Classic officially kicked everyone's collective asses (check out my LJ for a couple of detailed explanations) and kept me from getting this update done until now. (The Classic is over now.) As always, undying gratitude goes out to my wonderful beta, Ladyofthemasque, and to all you faboo readers and reviewers. *hugs all of you* You can give credit (or blame, depending on your viewpoint, LOL) to Ladyofthemasque for the clever chapter title and the continued rhyme in the summary. ;) Hope you enjoy the continued journey...

Chapter 60- Mirror, Mirror, on the Stage...

The cast wasn't expecting to have a rehearsal until the next Friday, which is why they were surprised to see a post on the notice board stating "All cast members: report to the Great Hall Tuesday, March 17, 7:00 p.m. for a cast meeting. Act Two dress run-through will still be Friday, March 20."

Curious rumblings travelled throughout the castle as everyone tried to come up with some reason for the unexpected meeting. Thus it was that all cast members kept shooting interested glances at Dumbledore where he sat eating at the High Table that evening.

Hermione could see that Snape was coldly stoic at Dumbledore's side, and, oddly enough, McGonagall was still displaying an air of frosty disapproval at Dumbledore's other side. Frowning in perplexity, she peered up at the headmaster, trying to fathom how he could have been so manipulative with Snape and wondering why her Head of House had looked so haughtily indignant for the past several days.

Finally, dinner was over, and Dumbledore gestured for the cast to disperse so he could transform the Hall. Snape and McGonagall swept down from the dais, herding the students ahead of them as they exited the Hall and shut the doors behind them. The students sidled away from them as they assumed nearly identical poses, crossing their arms and standing in front of each door, as if guarding it.

Hermione stood at the edge of her circle of friends, pretending to look elsewhere, but she was really paying attention to them in her peripheral vision and listening hard to McGonagall's muttered asides to Snape.

"I'm not going to lighten up until he apologizes, Severus. I mean it."

Snape inclined his head and shook his hair forward, sliding his gaze over the students as he murmured back. "That's not necessary, Minerva. He made his decision. As have I. There's no need to dwell on it. Move on."

She must be talking about Dumbledore! So that's why she's looked so disdainful lately! Oh, Severus, I'm so glad you have someone else on your side. A surge of warm regard for her strict but kindly Head of House welled up in her chest, making it tight with emotion, and she couldn't stop the pleased smile from spreading her lips.

A few minutes later, the doors opened and everyone trekked back into the transformed theatre space. Puzzled glances were exchanged between many people as they looked at the apron of the stage, on which a parade of large mirrors was placed. Dumbledore stood in front of the stage and waved for everyone to take a seat in the first few rows.

"No need to fret; we're not rehearsing tonight. But I wanted to share something quite exciting with you all." He beamed at them and clasped his hands in front of his ribs.

"I know you've probably been wondering about the other schools' productions and whether or not we would be able to see them." He nodded at Luna. "The answer is in front of you." At that, he made a grand sweeping gesture toward the mirrors that crossed the breadth of the stage without even the slightest break between them, towering to the very height of the proscenium. The cast exchanged puzzled looks and murmured amongst themselves.

Dumbledore strode over to the steps and mounted the stage, his reflection visible to the curious group. "We'll begin with Durmstrang, as they are two hours later than we are." A susurrus of surprise rippled through the cast. Dumbledore turned to the mirror and clearly stated, "Headmaster Bosek."

Dumbledore's reflection wavered and faded, replaced by the image of the new Durmstrang Headmaster. The man was swarthy and looked to be in his thirties, exuding an air of vitality. His white teeth gleamed from beneath his black moustache as he grinned and retorted, "Dumbledore! We haf been waiting for you. My cast is eager to see yours."

Between Hermione and Ginny, Harry gasped, his eyes widening as he went white. Glancing at his chalky complexion, Hermione leant closer and whispered, "Harry? Are you okay?"

Harry swallowed hard, rasping back, "They're two-way mirrors. Sirius gave me one before..." He faltered, and Hermione understood the shock he had received. She pressed his arm in a gesture of comfort, and Harry blinked rapidly, struggling to compose himself again. Onstage, the headmasters continued their conversation.

Dumbledore nodded and chuckled, saying, "I can imagine, Lazlo. Very well. If you would be so kind as to place your cast onstage, I will expand the charm through the rest of the mirrors." Bosek nodded and spun, clapping his hands at his students.

Dumbledore stepped back to the stairs, waving his wand at the mirrors as he descended again. Rapt faces gazed up at the stage, which suddenly displayed the corresponding stage far away in Durmstrang.

Red-robed students filed onto the stage, gazing solemnly out through the mirrors. The placement was such that it almost looked as if they were on the stage at Hogwarts. Hermione clasped her hands and beamed at the perfect solution presented to them. A beat later, a barked command in a language she didn't know had the Durmstrang students shifting to various areas of the stage, showing the extent to which it was visible through the mirror setup.

Bosek marched into view again and spun to face Dumbledore, arms akimbo and a self-satisfied smile on his face. "You can see efrything, yes?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Indeed, Lazlo. Now, shall we try it the other way around?"

Bosek jerked his head sharply and whipped around, snapping another command to his charges, who quickly filed back off the stage. He twisted back and said, "I will end the charm here until we haf placed the mirrors. I will call for you in three minutes. Is enough time, yes?"

"Yes, thank you. In three minutes." With that, Dumbledore waved his wand at the mirrors, and they went back to normal, reflecting the theatre. He turned to the cast and said, "Quickly, all of you, take your places onstage. I need to move the mirrors." Everyone obediently shot up from their seats and scurried up to the stage. Dumbledore pointed his wand at the wall of mirrors and performed a complicated arabesque that had each mirror lifting from the apron, shrinking, and floating out into the audience, where they settled several rows back in the seats, leaning against the seatbacks.

Dumbledore ascended the stage and stood on the apron, awaiting Bosek's initiation of the charm on his end. The cast stood in a ragged line behind him, several of them shifting their weight nervously. From a mirror in the house, they eventually heard, "Headmaster Dumbledore!" As Dumbledore responded to the call, they watched each mirror stop reflecting and change to show the Durmstrang cast, a few visible in each mirror.

Bosek's face was clear in the central mirror, by itself. Once again, his white teeth flashed as he smiled widely. "Efrything works as hoped! Now we will call to Madame Maxime, and you may do so when we haf finished."

Dumbledore sketched a little bow to Bosek and said, "Lazlo, why don't you just have Olympe call us when you all have finished your verifications."

Bosek nodded sharply and grunted an affirmative. "Yes. I will do that. We should not take long." He bowed deeply to Dumbledore and said, "It is good to see you again. We will look forward to seeing your performance."

Dumbledore smiled and retorted, "As shall we. Thank you for accommodating us tonight. I know it is later there. Good night to you and your cast."

"Good night." With that terse response, Bosek snapped his wand up and the mirrors in the audience went back to normal. A low buzz began in the group behind Dumbledore, and he slowly turned to gaze at them in amusement.

"So, I daresay this answers several of your questions, eh?"

Luna lifted her hand. At Dumbledore's nod, she said, "Now we know how we'll see each performance, but we still don't know which performance we'll see, and which performance they'll see."

Dumbledore inclined his head and said, "It has been decided that we will see each school's performance for the Ministry. As you can see, the mirrors only take up one row, and they will not impede the Ministry's attendance." He folded his hands over his belly and inhaled deeply. "Also, now that we have this arrangement for viewing, we have more options for your families to be able to see the play. The school will come to the dress rehearsal before they leave for Easter holiday, as planned. But, if your families would rather see the final show, and they cannot make it here to do so, we can offer them a small mirror from which they may view it, like our competitors."

Colin startled everyone by bursting out with, "Like closed circuit TV!" He flushed as everyone turned to stare at him, but the other Muggleborns nodded comprehension.

Harry's brows climbed, and he shot a glance at Hermione and muttered, "He's got a point." Hermione nodded thoughtfully.

Ginny ignored the byplay in the face of an exciting thought. Her face betraying her eager interest, she said, "So we can send a mirror to someone far away? How far away?"

Dumbledore smiled gently and said, "Distance is no matter. Romania will seem as close as Hogsmeade." At Ginny's startled blink, he winked at her and she dissolved into a sheepish smile, colouring slightly as she turned to Ron and muttered, "That means Charlie will be able to see us, even if he can't take time off!" Ron grinned back and nodded.

Dean piped up and queried, "What if the people you want to be able to see you aren't wizards? I mean, my mum wouldn't be able to activate anything magical..."

Dumbledore turned to the tall boy and said, "I assure you, Mr. Thomas, that if your family cannot come to Hogwarts to see the performance, we will provide them with a personal mirror with which to view it. And, as you can see, as long as the person activating it is a wizard, that's all that's needed. You would be able to open the channel yourself if you so desired."

Dean relaxed and nodded pensively. Hermione waited a fraction of a second to see if anyone else was going to speak, then raised her hand and said, "Have you determined how people will travel here if they want to see the performance? And will it matter which show they want to come to? I know you said that they could come to the dress rehearsal that the school will see, but if they're not doing anything in particular on holiday, can't they come see the Ministry night?"

Dumbledore tried to catch McGonagall's eye, but she was studiously avoiding it with a frosty air of dignity. Finally, Dumbledore cleared his throat and said, "Professor McGonagall." She deigned to turn her attention to him, and he huffed to himself before continuing. "What have you found out on that score?"

McGonagall was drawing herself up primly to respond when they were all distracted by a voice coming from the house.

"'Eadmaster Dumbly-dorr!" All eyes turned to the mirror, which, as Dumbledore waved his wand at it, showed the elegant face of Madame Maxime. He beamed at her and expanded his reach to encompass all of the mirrors, showing her cast in the audience seats at the theatre space in Beauxbatons.

"Madame Maxime! How lovely to see you again, Olympe." He bowed to her and she gracefully inclined her head.

"Likewise." She gazed over the assembled Hogwarts cast and her eyes widened. "Professors? You 'ave staff members on your cast?"

Dumbledore cast a quick glance over McGonagall, Snape, and Trelawney, then turned back to Maxime. "Why, yes. You don't?"

Maxime shook her head soberly. "Non. Ze staff decided zat ze pupils are to be ze ones to perform, as zey are ze ones 'oo must learn ze subject. Our cast is large, and many pupils are involved. I 'ope you are ready for a fierce competition, Dumbly-dorr." Her eyes narrowed shrewdly and she smiled in challenge.

Dumbledore laughed aloud and turned to survey his cast. His eyes twinkled brightly as he said, "Well, I daresay I am ready, but the better question is, are you?" He cocked an eyebrow at his cast, expecting a response, and everyone stood straighter and puffed their chests out in confidence and pride.

Hermione couldn't help but send a fleeting glance at Snape, who caught her eye, and, as one, they stepped forward from the line, Hermione with her head held high and her chin up, and Snape peering regally down his nose as he stood with crossed arms and spine straight. Snape held his tongue, knowing Hermione would speak for all of them.

Her voice rang out clear and true as she said, "We are quite ready right now, but no doubt we'll be even more so by the time our performance date arrives." Dumbledore raised his eyebrows and smirked at Maxime as Hermione continued. "Rest assured, Madame Maxime, Hogwarts is determined to win. Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will have their work cut out for them."

At her words, every other cast member nodded or murmured agreement, their expressions mimicking the conviction showing on their lead actors' faces. Maxime pursed her lips for a moment and eyed them intently, then cleared her throat and said, "Very well. Shall we switch ze mirrors now?"

Dumbledore beamed at her and said, "I will call for you in three minutes, if that should suffice."

Maxime tossed her head and sniffed. "Zen we will be ready in three minutes." With that, the mirror went blank, followed by the rest on down the row.

Dumbledore chuckled as he waved for the cast to disperse. They raced offstage, exchanging proud looks as they took seats in the house while the mirrors were placed back on the apron and expanded to their original size. Dumbledore then called, "Madame Maxime!"

The mirror flashed with the image of Maxime towering over her charges as they filled the stage in two rows. Lavender gasped and hissed, "They have twice as many people as we do!"

Dean, who was staring at the group in awe, whispered back, "At least."

Dumbledore peered attentively up at Maxime and said, "I trust that everything worked out well with Lazlo?"

Maxime nodded. "Oui. And you?"

"Perfectly. This was indeed a stroke of genius on your part, Olympe." Maxime preened under the flattery.

"Merci beaucoup." She gracefully waved her hand toward her cast and they began filing offstage. "If we are done 'ere, I say it is time to retire."

Dumbledore bowed again and retorted, "Of course. It was kind of you to accommodate us into your schedule tonight. We look forward to seeing your performance."

"Bonsoir." A languid swish of her wand, and the Beauxbatons theatre disappeared, leaving the mirrors to reflect the house once again.

Dumbledore heaved a satisfied sigh and gazed at the cast. "Well, there you have it! Now, before we were interrupted, Professor McGonagall, you were about to tell us what you found out about transporting families here to view the show..." He raised his eyebrows questioningly and inclined his head toward her.

McGonagall said, "I looked into various routes: Portkeys, Floo, Hogwarts Express, Side-along Apparition... I determined that Floo would be the simplest way to get people here, even those who aren't wizards." She nodded at Dean. "I spoke with the Floo Network Authority, and they will work with us to temporarily connect several hearths for the performance nights, both here and elsewhere. If your family has a fireplace that can be connected to the Floo Network, see me outside of rehearsal and provide me with the address, so I may include it in the list of connections we need to have made. If your family does not have a fireplace, then let me know where they are located, and we will find a wizarding fireplace nearby for them to use." She sat back as she finished, folding her hands in her lap.

"Thank you." Dumbledore offered her a faint smile, which she pointedly ignored. Frowning slightly, he flicked a glance over the rest of the cast. "Any other questions?" No one spoke up. "In that case, you are dismissed. Good night!"

Snape cast a calculating glance at the departing Gryffindors and nodded faintly in decision. Without warning, he Disapparated.

Up in Hermione's room, Snape appeared in the bathroom, from which he peeked cautiously out. Quickly stepping to Hermione's desk, he pressed his finger to his lips and looked pointedly at Crookshanks, who eyed him drowsily from the foot of her bed. Snape snatched a quill and some parchment, scribbling a note to Hermione.

"Add this address to McGonagall's list for Floo connections. –O.G."

He scrawled his address at Spinner's End, a twisted smirk on his lips, then tucked the note on her pillow, before whirling back and Disapparating to his quarters.

I need to have it connected anyway, so why not avail myself of the opportunity?

**** ****

Wednesday morning, Hermione included an invisible letter to Snape with her homework, letting him know that she had indeed found his note, and that she had taken it upon herself to collect addresses from the Gryffindors in order to turn them in to McGonagall. According to her letter, "It seemed like a Head Girl sort of thing to do." Snape snorted in amusement at the throwaway comment.

Friday evening, McGonagall leant past Dumbledore to get Snape's attention. "Severus, may I have a word with you? In private?"

Snape's brow furrowed, but he said, "Of course, Minerva. Shall we retire to the staff room?"

She nodded, and together they rose from the High Table. Dumbledore peered after them curiously, but they ignored him. In the staff room, McGonagall brandished a piece of parchment at him and said, "Severus, I recognize your home address from when you were a student. How did it come to be on this list?"

Snape peered at the list and queried, "What list is that?"

"It's the list of addresses we need to connect Floos to for the performance. What's going on? How did Miss Granger come to give me a list with your address on it?"

Snape's lips twisted in a superior smile and he drawled, "I gave it to her, of course."

McGonagall's brows drew together in perplexity, and her eyes narrowed. "Start making sense. Now, Severus."

Snape snorted softly and drew himself up, crossing his arms over his chest. "Miss Granger, as Head Girl, had begun collecting the addresses. I, in my quest to have a life outside these walls come the end of the school year, determined it would be only logical to include my home on the list. I'll need to start going there to get it ready for habitation, and I didn't want to have to suffer through the bureaucratic wait if I submitted my request on my own. You already have an in with the Floo Network; why shouldn't I make the best of that?"

McGonagall's brows rose and her mouth fell open a bit in surprise. Snape smirked even more. Blinking, she seemed to deflate and said, "Oh." Snape cocked an eyebrow at her and she grimaced. "Why must you do everything in such a sneaky way, Severus? It gets quite wearing, you know."

Snape snorted faintly again at her testy tone and sketched a little mocking bow. "It's innate, my dear Minerva. Twenty-seven years of being a Slytherin will do that to you."

McGonagall rolled her eyes and scoffed. Flicking the parchment toward him in dismissal, she said, "Oh for Merlin's sake... Promise me one thing, Severus." She eyed him severely.

Affecting polite interest, Snape retorted, "What's that?"

"Promise me that when you finally get out of here, you'll drop the House persona."

A tiny amused smile quirked his lips and his eyes flashed. "I promise you, Minerva, that when I am finished with Hogwarts, you will see a change in me unlike any you may have ever imagined." With that, he tilted his head toward the Hall again. "Shall we return?"

McGonagall sighed and nodded. Tucking the parchment in her robes again, she headed back to her seat, Snape trailing after her. As they sat on either side of Dumbledore, he swivelled his head between them, obviously curious about what they had discussed, but neither paid him the slightest bit of attention. Hermione saw the disgruntled look ripple over his face and felt a flash of righteous satisfaction.

Not long afterward, Snape descended from the High Table to collect Hermione before the run-through of Act Two. At this point, it was almost old hat for the Gryffindor cast members to exchange polite greetings with him as he passed. Hermione sprang to her feet and followed him out of the Hall, tucking her hand in the crook of his elbow when they reached the corridor so they could Disapparate.

In his quarters, they embraced, Snape resting his cheek on the crown of her head and Hermione pressing her face against his chest. After a long moment, Hermione pulled back and said, "Have you spoken to Dumbledore since..."

Snape's peaceful expression clouded and he scowled, backing away from her. "No. Well, nothing except for whatever may be required in my duties. I've managed to avoid being left alone with him."

Hermione sighed as he brusquely strode over to his armchair. As she crossed to the bathroom, she said, "I see that McGonagall is giving him no quarter."

Snape twisted in his seat, staring after her. When she emerged from the bathroom, he frowned at her and said, "What do you mean?"

Hermione smiled gently. "I heard her before the last cast meeting, and it's obvious that she's giving him the cold shoulder. You're not the only one who can put two and two together to get four, love."

Snape relaxed a fraction, sitting back to allow Hermione to begin brushing his hair. His voice was low when he spoke. "The morning I returned from your room, she showed up, nearly ranting. Again, I thought she had discovered our relationship, and I thought we were done for. But, she was furious about what Albus had done. She..." He faltered, and Hermione soothingly caressed his shoulder. "She told me that he was wrong and that she was on my side, and she would do whatever she could to help me find something outside of Hogwarts." He took a deep breath. "I'll admit that I could use the help."

Hermione paused long enough to hug him from behind, heart glad that he had a friend to help him. "That's wonderful. How long before you'll start work on your home?"

Snape heaved a cleansing sigh and said, "As soon as the Floo is connected, I'll be able to have contractors start working. But, I daresay I'll pay it a visit before then, just to see what I'm up against."

Knowing that he was suffering from the lingering unease of returning to Spinner's End, Hermione changed the subject. "So, we're almost through with rehearsals! The performances are quite close. Are you ready?"

Snape smirked. "You said it yourself, love. We're quite ready. I must say, I never thought, when this whole thing began, that I'd actually be looking forward to it!" He snorted.

Hermione chuckled and said, "I can imagine! All I know is that when it's all over, I'll be relieved and sad."

"Why?"

"Because when it's all done, I'll be able to focus on N.E.W.T.s!" She shoved lightly at his shoulder in retaliation for his incredulous snort and hand flapping. "It's true!" She felt him shaking his head and knew he was rolling his eyes. Tugging on his hair as she secured it in the elastic, she went on. "But, I'll be sad because then we won't have these special moments together any more." She smoothed his hair one last time and let her hands drop to his shoulders.

Snape reached up and covered her hands with his, turning to look up at her. She gazed at him wistfully, and he felt the love welling up in his chest. Standing, he drew her out from behind the chair and moulded his palm against her cheek. Her eyes closed as she leant into his caress. Bending down, he placed a tender kiss on her lips, rejoicing as he felt her hands slide up to wrap around his neck.

The kiss wasn't explosive like others had been before. This one was like a cauldron on low heat set to simmer. After a long sensuous moment, they drew apart, eyes glazed and breathing shallow. Snape trailed his thumb over her glistening lips and murmured, "We may not have regularly scheduled meetings like this, but I can always come to you. Whenever you like."

Hermione smiled. Gazing almost apologetically at him, she whispered, "Perhaps."

Snape's eyes narrowed mutinously, just as she had expected. Scowling, he straightened, and Hermione let out a tiny sigh. "Severus, you know that we'll still have to be careful. And I will have to focus on my N.E.W.T.s..."

Snape stepped away, eyes smouldering as he sulked. "Good gods, the end of this damned year can't come fast enough!"

Hermione tossed her head in rueful agreement, then squeezed his arm where they were crossed over his chest. Relenting a bit in the face of his sullen countenance, she said, "But I'm sure we can arrange something every once in a while."

The rapid change was almost comical as his resentful expression morphed to one of incredulous hope, then relief, followed by grateful joy. Hermione watched the change, like dawn breaking, and grinned at his hopeful smile. Gazing up at him lovingly, she whispered, "I do so love it when you smile, Severus."

At that, his smile widened, and he rumbled, "How can I help it around you?"

Hermione laughed, and they exchanged a brief kiss again before glancing at the time. Eyes dancing in challenge, she slipped her hand in his and said, "It's almost time. Ready?"

Snape airily Summoned his mask, deftly catching it in mid-air. "Let's go." With a nod, they Disapparated.

The Hall buzzed with anticipation. Dumbledore had Summoned the orchestral accompaniment, and clumps of students were furtively practicing their costume spells, muttering lines, and humming songs. Hermione felt the excitement welling up and she squeezed Snape's hand in farewell as he slipped away from her upon arrival.

Once he was ready, Dumbledore clapped his hands to get everyone's attention and said, "After tonight, we'll be doing full run-throughs every rehearsal. I don't expect to see any mistakes, but if you're going to make any, it had better be tonight." Nervous titters met his announcement. Quickly casting Suaviloquentia on people, he waved at the stage for everyone to get ready and take their places. "I'm going to have the music play to take us up to the start of Act Two, so you can get used to the time it takes. We will have intermission for the audience during performances, but I don't know that I'll want to take that time in rehearsals. No matter... Places!"

Set pieces whirled into place, and everyone scrambled to their spots, casting their costume spells for Masquerade. When the dancing began, an aura of triumph seemed to blanket the cast, as everyone showed marked improvement, and the dancing went smoothly. Smiles of delight spread over face after face, buoying their singing as well, until the moment came for Snape to appear as the Phantom.

His arrival was jarring, appropriately so due to the greater contrast with the Masquerade's previous mood. His smokescreen spells added to the heightened drama, and for the first time, he didn't feel conspicuously ridiculous in his bright red costume. He saw that Hermione was actually wearing a ring on a chain around her neck, and he yanked it from her in one brutal tug. Her gasp of startled pain and the way she clamped her hands to her neck gave him pause, but he didn't dare stop to check how much he had hurt her. Clasping the broken trinket in his hand, he Disapparated, casting the smokescreen again as the scene shifted and people fled into the wings.

Fortunately, Harry was involved in the following scene, so he wasn't around when Snape, once again in his regular costume, Apparated to Hermione in the wing, concerned. She was still rubbing her neck, and Snape frowned, hissing, "Let me see. Are you hurt?"

Hermione lowered her hand and whispered, "It stings; that's all. I wasn't ready for it." Snape peered at the red welt around her neck and grimaced.

Grabbing her arm, he said, "Come with me." He Apparated them to where Dumbledore was standing in the house, startling him. As the old man stared at them, taken aback, Snape ripped off his Phantom mask and snapped, "Miss Granger was hurt when I broke the chain she was wearing at the end of the Masquerade. I must take her to heal the abrasion. We sha'n't be long."

Dumbledore nodded faintly, looking at Hermione with concern. "Are you all right, Miss Granger?"

Hermione nodded, hastily saying, "Just a scratch, sir. I'm sure the potion Professor Snape used on Harry's neck will work just as well for me."

Dumbledore twitched at the reminder of his error handling Harry's noose, and he muttered, "Of course. Go on then."

Snape jerked a nod at him, his expression cold, then Disapparated.

Hermione gasped in surprise when she found herself in Snape's lab. He hurried to his cabinet, laid his mask on a shelf, and retrieved the potion he had used to soothe Harry's abrasions, efficiently dabbing it on Hermione's neck with a handkerchief. She could see his remorse in the tension of his shoulders and the deep crease between his brows. The sting faded as the welt disappeared, and Snape relaxed infinitesimally. Hermione cast a faint smile at him in an attempt to soothe him, but he scowled again.

Locking eyes with her, he said, "I'm so sorry, Hermione. I should have thought. I'm going to fix this chain so it will break more easily next time. I didn't mean to hurt you." His voice rang with sincerity, and he anxiously gripped her hands in his.

Hermione smiled in reassurance and caressed his cheek. "It's all right, dear heart. Really. I'm fine. It was an accident." Snape's eyes closed and his shoulders sagged in relief. When he looked at her again, she added, "I feel much better now, thank you."

Snape exhaled gustily and leant closer to examine her neck again. As his breath swept over her sensitized flesh, Hermione hummed in appreciation and her head tilted, exposing her neck even more. Snape's breath caught at the sound and the obvious surrender. Eyes suddenly blazing with feeling, he dipped his head even further, gently kissing along the line that had so recently been red and angry.

Hermione moaned faintly, and he pulled her against him as his lips trailed along her neck and throat, leaving goose flesh in their wake. Her eyelids fluttered and her head lolled back more as she seemed to melt against him. The answering flash of desire tightened his trousers, and his tongue snaked out to trace a sensuous pattern over her skin.

The residue of the healing potion met his sensitive tastebuds, and he reared back, almost gagging at the vile taste. Hermione pulled back, startled and confused, as he sped to a sink, coughing and spluttering as he spat viciously, trying to rid himself of the disgusting liquid that seemed to coat his tongue. Hermione's hands flew up to cover her mouth and the spot he had just laved, horrified.

At the sink, Snape turned on the taps full blast, cupping his hands and sucking the cold water from where it pooled within them. Swishing it in his mouth and gargling, he repeated the actions until the potion residue was gone. Finally, released from the paroxysm, he turned sheepishly to see Hermione goggling at him.

Wishing his hair were loose so he could cloak his burning cheeks, he mumbled, "Definitely only an external potion..."

At that, Hermione let loose a hysterical bark of laughter, and Snape scowled, even more embarrassed. Eyes dancing with amusement as she realized what had happened, Hermione drawled, "So much for kissing it and making it better."

Snape blinked at her in astonishment, then snorted rueful agreement. "I daresay it was a good thing, else we get carried away again." Hermione sobered instantly and they sighed deeply. Nodding to her, he dried his face on a towel and crossed back to where she stood, deftly Summoning his mask. "Come on. We don't want to miss any cues." Hermione shook her head and they Apparated back to the same spot where they had spoken to Dumbledore.

Blinking in surprise at their abrupt appearance again, Dumbledore looked expectantly at Hermione. Lifting her chin and moving her hair off her neck, she quickly showed him that the skin was perfectly fine. At his nod, she looked at Snape, who gripped her arm again and Apparated them to the wing.

They had arrived not a moment too soon. The second "Notes" scene was in full swing, and Draco and Pansy were already onstage. Harry was anxiously bouncing on his toes, looking for Hermione. When she and Snape appeared out of nowhere, he jerked back, but quickly grabbed Hermione's hand to escort her onstage for the scene. His fleeting expression told Hermione that she would have some explaining to do, but for the moment, they had their scene to focus on.

When Hermione ran into the wings at the end of the scene, leaving Harry to roar his defiance into the house, she caught a glimpse of Snape climbing onto the back of the crypt set piece, his mask in place again. As soon as the scene shifted, she hurried back out for the "rehearsal." The energy in the piece was obvious, and everyone rose to the occasion in their interactions. The piano began playing stormily by itself, and everyone except Hermione snapped to mesmerized attention and began singing the song, leaving her to sidle away as the set pieces shifted once again.

The transition to the graveyard went smoothly, and Hermione's voice quavered with emotion as she sang "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again." When she dropped to her knees before the crypt, and Snape appeared, beginning his luring lilt, Hermione gazed up at him edging out from behind the cross, her face rapt. He crept forward, reaching out, and she rose again, leaning toward him as she inched closer.

Harry arrived at the edge of the stage, and when the scene progressed to the point where he physically broke the connection between Hermione and Snape, Snape froze where he was, precariously extended over the edge of the crypt. Then, in a flurry of motion, he pulled up and stepped back, grabbing the pike and aiming carefully at Harry, who had shoved Hermione behind him protectively.

Snape locked eyes with Harry, and the part of his brain that wasn't involved with portraying the Phantom noted that Harry was no longer eyeing him with trepidation or warning. Apparently, since the rehearsal when Snape had been the one to save Harry and heal him with the soothing potions, Harry had fully internalized his newfound trust of Snape. The calm in his green eyes was indicative of that trust, and Snape viciously shoved aside the stunned part of himself in favour of performing his role with careful precision, so as not to shatter that new, fragile connection.

The scene went on, the tension building and culminating with Snape's Blaze of Light Charm. Everyone scattered as the set shifted to the scene of "Don Juan." Snape decided to change the order of where he flitted about, just to keep everyone on their toes, and their bewildered faces whipping around in search of him were genuine.

"Don Juan" began, and Snape contented himself with a curt nod at Draco when he appeared in the curtained bed, quickly casting the glamour on himself. His gut was roiling in anticipation of "Point of No Return" with Hermione, and the excitement of it infused his voice with even more seductive tones as they began their sensual tete-a-tete in song.

After the abrupt jolt back to reality in his lab, Snape kept a firm grip on his feelings for Hermione, refusing to let them overcome him in the scene. Fortunately for him, Hermione seemed to have made a similar decision. Thus it was that their highly emotional interactions were dramatic but not out of control. They even managed to keep their kiss from boiling over.

When Harry and Hermione rushed into the wing, leaving the Phantom's lair, Harry gripped Hermione's arm and hissed, "Where were you earlier?"

Hermione whispered back, "Snape took me to his laboratory," before darting back onstage to give the ring back to Snape. As she exited again, she saw Harry gazing at her with a confused expression.

He grabbed her arm again and leant close to ask, "What? Why?"

They headed toward the boat to continue the scene, and Hermione hurriedly said, "The chain hurt my neck when he broke it."

A flash of comprehension washed over Harry's face, and then they were onstage again, singing their final parts as the boat moved out of sight once more. Snape belted out his last, anguished lines onstage and Harry tugged Hermione further into the wing as he said, "I thought I saw you flinch. Are you okay?" He frowned in concern.

Hermione showed him her healed skin, just as she had to Dumbledore, and nodded. "I'm fine. He used the same potion he used on you."

Nodding in approval, Harry's expression relaxed and he even smiled faintly as he said, "Good. I'm glad you're okay. I was just afraid we'd miss our cue." He rolled his eyes exaggeratedly before shooting her a raffish grin. Then, his grin faded into a gentle smile again. "It's a good thing Snape was here to help again."

Hermione couldn't help it. She blinked in astonishment, her mouth falling open. She stared at him, completely gobsmacked.

Harry's smile widened into an amused smirk. "What? He may be an ornery git, but even I have to admit that he's managed to save us more times than I'd care to count."

Hermione closed her mouth, but still couldn't respond other than to stare at Harry, incredulous.

Harry shot a quick glance around and shoved his hands in his pockets, cheeks colouring. "Look, don't make a fuss, all right? I just... Hey, a man can see something once it's been hammered into his head long enough, eh?"

Struggling for something to say, Hermione forced out a strained, "Of course."

Obviously growing more uncomfortable with his revelation, particularly with the extreme way Hermione was reacting, Harry ducked his head and shrugged, glancing about again as he saw everyone heading for the stage now that Act Two was over. His voice was a low, defensive mutter as he said, "Look, he's not my new best friend or anything, so just give over. It's no big deal."

Marshalling her stunned wits, Hermione shook her head and shrugged. "Right. You're right. No big deal. Exactly." Then, she tilted her head toward the stage inquiringly, and Harry lunged forward, anxious to escape the awkward atmosphere that had resulted from his unexpected declarations. Hermione followed, mind racing with the implications of Harry's new viewpoint.

Unbelievable! But, it's so wonderful, too! If he's already coming around now... Oh, I hope things won't be so awful when Severus and I go public...

Onstage, people were milling about, casting spells to return their robes to normal as Dumbledore Vanished the orchestra and set pieces. He turned to them and smiled. "Good work, everyone. We'll be doing full dress rehearsals from here on out. Be ready next Tuesday." He nodded encouragingly as he shooed the cast offstage, then noticed Snape propped against the proscenium, mask dangling from one finger as he concentrated on something in his palm. Stepping closer to him, Dumbledore queried, "Severus?"

Snape's head snapped up, his frown of concentration deepening to a scowl of icy disdain. At Dumbledore's inquiring nod, Snape straightened, gripping his hand into a fist and growling, "I'm fixing the chain so it won't injure Miss Granger again." Dumbledore glanced down at Snape's tight fist and saw a metallic glint dangling from within it.

Attempting a return to their warm comradeship, Dumbledore smiled and said, "So conscientious and thoughtful of you, my boy."

Snape's jaw twitched at the endearment and his eyes narrowed. With a swift glance to make sure no students were within earshot, Snape ground out through gritted teeth, "I'm not your boy."

Dumbledore's smile faltered and he froze as Snape shoved away from the proscenium and thundered past him, shooting a warning glare at a curious McGonagall who had just walked up. Snape stomped about halfway up the aisle in the house before suddenly Disapparating, leaving Dumbledore and McGonagall staring after him in the now empty space.

Dumbledore swallowed and took a deep breath, blinking in bewilderment. McGonagall guessed at what had happened, based on catching Snape's parting comment, and drew herself up primly, crossing her arms.

"I hate to say it, Albus, but I told you so." She gazed at him severely over her spectacles.

Dumbledore frowned and rounded on her. It wasn't often that he lost his composure, but over the decades of close association, McGonagall had been privy to the event enough to not let it faze her. She stared at him coolly as he snarled, "That's enough! Butt out, Minerva!"

McGonagall sniffed and rolled her eyes at Dumbledore's angry countenance. "No." She locked eyes with him again and pursed her lips at his baleful glare. "When will you admit that you did a terrible thing and that you should beg Severus for forgiveness? You usually don't mishandle things, Albus, but when you do...by Merlin!...do you bugger it up royally!"

"I did what I had to do! How could he do that to me?" Dumbledore's eyes were sparking with fury instead of twinkling with merriment, and the transformation was a sobering sight, but McGonagall refused to back down.

Planting her hands on her hips, she leant forward and cried, "How could he do what to you? Move on with his life? Make something of himself? Pick up the pieces of his ruined adolescence and step beyond it to try for a chance at happiness? I said it before: how could you do that to him?"

Dumbledore glared at her, his chest visibly rising and falling as he breathed heavily in anger. In the ringing silence following McGonagall's accusing words, his struggle to form a response was almost audible.

McGonagall closed in on Dumbledore and pinned him with a fierce protective glare. Her voice was low but clear in the vast theatre space. "I've known him as long as you have. We both know what his childhood was like. Betrayed by his father, then his mother, then by his so-called friends and hero. And now, after all these years of sacrifice and servitude and dedication..." she paused, as her voice had climbed in volume, and dropped back to a harsh whisper, "...you betray him." She slowly backed away, still holding his gaze.

"He's not going to just forget about it and go back to normal, Albus. You crushed that man's very heart, and it will take much more than a 'Sorry about that, ol' chap. Let's carry on, then, eh?' to get his forgiveness. If you truly care about Severus, as you claim, then you need to take a good look at what's best for him, and embrace it. Otherwise, I daresay you've lost 'your boy' forever."

With one last measuring look, she spun and swept off the stage and up the aisle, leaving Dumbledore to smart under the tongue lashing.

If anyone had been watching, they might have wondered at the length of time it took before Dumbledore finally emerged from the Hall. But it was late enough that few people were out of their quarters, being after curfew, so no one noticed the lone figure making his solitary, weary trip upstairs.